Myles Turner Could Be a Pelicans Target After Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

The Pelicans' best option at center may be longtime target, Myles Turner.

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The trade season in the NBA is officially here. The Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat kicked things off with the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade on Monday night. Now, more transactions should follow, including a likely fire sale in Milwaukee.

The New Orleans Pelicans could be one of the teams that can benefit from the looming rebuild in Milwaukee. Any Bucks player with trade value will be on the trade block, including Myles Turner. The Pelicans, in desperate need of a starting center, may not be able to do better than Turner this offseason.

In fact, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto already reported that Turner will be "a strong trade candidate" before naming the Pelicans, along with the Lakers, Hornets, and the Celtics as possible interested parties. Scotto based this on the fact that New Orleans was linked to Turner at various points previously.

Longtime Pelicans Target Myles Turner Emerges As a Potential Option for New Orleans

Just because the Pelicans pursued Turner before doesn't necessarily mean that the interest is still there. There is a new regime in New Orleans, and the organization is in a different place.

At the same time, the dynamics that made Turner an ideal Pelicans fit are still there. The team hasn't been able to find a long-term starting center, and the need for more shooting hasn't subsided. If anything, the shooting has gone worse around Zion Williamson over the years, so Turner has become only more important.

Turner is 30 years old, and he is not the same player he was earlier in his career. Yet, he still combines a unique, two-way skillset. Very few centers can credibly space the floor on one end and protect the rim on the other. The perfect center next to Williamson would be one who can do both, and the Pelicans haven't been able to acquire one during the Zion era.

The same problem exists for Derik Queen as well. As a rookie, he was a mess defensively. He couldn't protect the rim, rebound the ball, or defend good offensive centers. Unless he shows significant improvement, he almost certainly has to play next to a center. The problem is, since he can't shoot, he is not the easiest fit as a power forward, creating similar issues to what the Pelicans dealt with Williamson over the years.

Turner singlehandedly solves these issues. Even though he is slightly overpaid, making $26.5 million next season and under contract for three more years, Turner's fit would make him worth that deal for the Pelicans.

New Orleans has Jordan Poole's expiring contract or Dejounte Murray that they can use to match salaries in a trade. Some draft capital or a young player of intrigue, like Yves Missi, would be needed to convince the Bucks, but that shouldn't stop the Pelicans.